NEW YORK, 20 December, 2020, (TON): United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Saturday strongly condemned the attack that took place in Galkayo, Somalia on Friday, which resulted in heavy casualties.

Through a statement attributable to his spokesperson Stephane Dujarric, UN chief Guterres extended his deepest sympathies and condolences to the families of the victims and wished the injured a speedy recovery. He urged the Somali authorities to “investigate the attacks and swiftly bring those responsible to justice.”

The Secretary-General reaffirmed the full commitment of the United Nations to support the people and government of Somalia in their fight against terrorism, violent extremism and organized crime toward building a stable, peaceful and prosperous country.

At least 10 people including senior Somali military officials were killed and several others wounded when a suicide bomber targeted a football stadium in Galkayo, the capital of the central region of Mudug, ahead of a planned address by Somali Prime Minister Mohamed Roble.

The bomber targeted government officials and members of the prime minister’s security team heading to the stadium for a rally of government supporters.

The blast came as tension continues to simmer in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, and as the country gets closer to presidential elections scheduled for February 8.

CAIRO, 20 December 2020, (TON): The foreign ministers of Egypt, Jordan and Palestine met in Cairo on Saturday where they discussed methods of reviving the Middle East peace process and resuming negotiations between the Palestinian and the Israeli sides, said the Egyptian Foreign Ministry.

The three ministers "stressed that the Palestinian cause is the central Arab issue and discussed ways to push the concerned parties to engage in the peace process," said the Cairo statement following the tripartite meeting.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and his Jordanian and Palestinian counterparts Ayman Safadi and Riyad al-Maliki said that international legitimacy decisions, including UN Security Council Resolution 2334, and the Arab Peace Initiative, represent authorized references for negotiations between the Israelis and the Palestinians.

"Negotiation is the only way to bring peace," according to the joint statement.

The ministers stressed the necessity of urging Israel to return to the negotiation table in order to reach a settlement based on the UN-proposed two-state solution, including the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.

They also agreed on intensifying efforts to "mobilize an international position to confront the illegal Israeli practices," including the construction of settlements and the demolishing of Palestinian homes, warning that such practices "violate the international law and undermine the two-state solution and the chances of reaching just and comprehensive peace."

Shoukry, Safadi and Maliki also warned of the financial crisis facing the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) and its repercussions on the agency's ability to provide its vital services to the Palestinian refugees.

Egypt and Jordan already have peace treaties with Israel, recently the UAE and then Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco agreed to normalize relations with Israel.Despite effort exerted to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through a two-state solution, peace has been elusive.

BAGHDAD, 20 December, 2020, (TON): Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi on Saturday warned of the collapse of the social and political systems in Iraq and overwhelming chaos if the country does not go through financial reform.

Al-Kadhimi made his comments during an extraordinary session of the Iraqi cabinet to discuss the federal budget for the fiscal year 2021, which came after the Central Bank of Iraq (CBI) decided to devaluate the national currency due to the economic crisis that resulted from the decline in oil prices and the coronavirus pandemic.

"The political crisis in Iraq is linked to three issues: power, money, and corruption. We are working to address the crisis from an economic standpoint and with a bold decision to overcome the obstacles of corruption and money," al-Kadhimi media office said in a statement.

Earlier in the day, the CBI decided to reduce the value of the Iraqi dinar to be 1,450 dinars per one U.S. dollar in the central bank, instead of its previous price of 1,119 dinars per dollar.

The exchange rate of the dollar will reach 1,470 dinars in the local market, the statement said.

The CBI attributed the decision to the financial crisis that resulted from the decline in oil prices and the coronavirus pandemic, which led to a large deficit in the state budget, forcing the government to borrow money from banks to pay salaries and to cover other expenses, according to the statement.

In a separate statement, Iraqi Minister of Finance Ali Abdul-Amir Allawi said "it has become clear that urgent reforms are needed in various economic fields, including the currency exchange rate."

"Despite the difficulty of this decision, we are forced to take such a step to address a large part of the crisis, and to ensure the protection of the Iraqi economy by achieving a brave reform step."

Iraq’s deep financial crisis is rooted in corruption, mismanagement, unreliable crude exports and the expenses spent on the war against Daesh. It has become a daunting challenge for the country’s Prime Minister.

CHANDIGARH, 20 December 2020, (TON): Former Union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal has requested the Indian government to listen to the call by Sikh and allow them to freely profess their religion. She requested the Indian External Affairs Ministry to facilitate reopening of Kartarpur corridor at the earliest to allow Sikhs to visit shrine of Guru Nanak Dev at Kartarpur, where he was living as a farmer and ploughed fields for 18 years.

Harsimrat Kaur Badal  who is member of the Committee of External Affairs, expressed her views this week. She said,  "External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar should intervene and take up the issue with the Lands Port Authority of India to get the corridor reopened at the earliest." She added, "I am of the firm view that if the entire country can open up and even Assembly elections can take place, there is no reason why the Kartarpur corridor cannot be reopened. The Pakistan government has opened the corridor for travel nearly two months back. India should follow suit after instituting needed health protocols keeping in mind."

Harsimrat Kaur Badal said that since months pilgrimage sites across the world have been opened after COVID-19 pandemic but government of India is still reluctant to reopen the corridor.

NEW DELHI, 28 November 2020, (TON): India's economy contracted 7.5 percent between July and September, performing the poorest among major advanced and emerging economies and entering a technical recession for the first time since independence, official data showed Friday.

The figures indicate that Asia's third-largest economy is in for a tough fight as it attempts to revive demand and create jobs. Figures also indicated an improvement on the record 23.9-percent contraction recorded last quarter.

With GDP falling in two consecutive quarters, in the same quarter last year the economy grew 4.4 percent. The two successive quarters of contraction mean that the country has now entered a "technical recession" for the first time since 1947.

After virus-led lockdowns ravaged the globe, the growth recorded by major economies including the United States, Japan and Germany during the quarter ending on September 30 raised expectations that India would also enjoy a revival.

New Delhi has struggled to kick-start an economy that is expected to shrink 9.5 percent this year, according to estimates released by India's central bank governor Shaktikanta Das last month.

The International Monetary Fund has meanwhile predicted that India's economy would contract by 10.3 percent this year, the biggest slump for any major emerging economy and the worst since independence.

A report by Oxford Economics released earlier this month said that India would be the worst-affected economy even after the pandemic eases, stating that annual output would be 12 percent below pre-virus levels through 2025.

India's economy had struggled to gain traction even before the pandemic, and the hit to global activity from the virus and the lockdowns combined to deal the country a severe blow.

The shutdown in the vast country of 1.3 billion people left huge numbers of people jobless almost overnight, including tens of millions of migrant workers in the shadow economy.

The government has since been easing restrictions to revive activity, but is also recording the world’s highest number of daily new infections.

Indian Punjab, 19 Dece,ber 2020, (TON): The Kisan Congress on Friday wrote to Prime MInister Narendra Modi, accusing his government for the death of 22 farmers agitating against the three farm laws and demanded Rs one crore compensation to their family members.

Kisan Congress Vice Chairman Surendra Solanki, in their letter to the Prime Minister said, "For the last 23 days, the fasrmers have been agitating against the three farm laws on the borders of the national capital braving chilly winter conditions." He said that in the last 23 days, 22 farmers have lost their lives and only BJP is to be blamed for their death.

The Kisan Congress said, “the government should accept the demands of the agitating farmers in the country's interest," Solanki added.

ISLAMABAD,19 December 2020, (TON): Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi informed on Friday that India is planning a surgical strike against Pakistan and is seeking approval from its partners to divert attention from its serious internal issues.

Shah Mahmood Qureshi in a press conference in Abu Dhabi at the end of his two day visit where he met with the top authorities of Emirati leadership, said “An important development has cropped up [...] I've learned through our intelligence forces [...] that India is planning a surgical strike against Pakistan."

He further said that India is "trying to seek tacit approval important players who they consider to be their partners".

Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that in order to divert attention from "serious internal issues" and unify division within India, it has planned this operation.

Shah Mahmood Qureshi further highlighted “India sponsoring terrorism in Pakistan” referring to the dossier he had shared earlier with International community.

He said the situation in Kashmir “was never good but has deteriorated further”.

“Pakistan is fully prepared to respond to and defeat India's designs,” he clarified.

“We will do it […] as we did respond immediately and effectively in February 2019,” he warned.

Shah Mahmood Qureshi made it clear that any “misadventure’’ could seriously undermine Afghan peace process and “India will be held responsible for this.”

“I warn my eastern neighbour, we are aware of their mindset and we are aware of their designs […] and Pakistan will respond,” he reiterate.

ISLAMABAD, 19 December 2020, (TON): A delegation of Taliban Doha-based Political Commission (TPC), headed by Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, called on Prime Minister Imran khan on Friday and discussed peace process with the way forward.

The Prime Minister Office in a series of tweets said, ‘‘A delegation of Taliban Political Commission (TPC), headed by Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, called on the Prime Minister Imran Khan today. The discussions focused on the progress in the Afghan peace process and the way forward.’’

‘‘Reiterating that there was no military solution to the conflict in Afghanistan Khan underlined that the Intra-Afghan negotiations provide a historic opportunity to the Afghan leaders for achieving durable peace and stability through an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace process.’’

‘‘The Prime Minister expressed hope that the Afghan parties would continue to build on the recent positive developments in the Intra-Afghan Negotiations.’’

‘‘Prime Minister Imran Khan underscored Pakistan’s consistent support to an inclusive, broad-based and comprehensive political settlement. He also underlined the need to be vigilant about the role of spoilers, who continue to make attempts to disrupt and derail the peace process.’’

‘‘The Prime Minister expressed concern over the high level of violence and called on all sides for reduction in violence leading to ceasefire.’’

‘‘The Prime Minister highlighted that return of peace and stability in Afghanistan would provide a strong impetus to economic development, regional integration, and connectivity, benefitting Afghanistan and the region.’’

On Wednesday, while Taliban were visiting, Prime Minister Imran Khan and president Ashraf Ghani in a telephonic conversation had discussed the ongoing peace process and the strengthening of bilateral relations.

LONDON, 19 December 2020, (TON): Speaking in the European Parliament on Friday, the EU's chief negotiator for talks with the United Kingdom Michel Barnier said it was "the moment of truth" for the talks and while there was still a "chance" of a deal, the "path was very narrow".

"It's the moment of truth. We have very little time remaining, just a few hours to work through these negotiations," Barnier said

Earlier, he met fishing ministers from EU states to discuss the continuing divisions over the issue.

The two sides have been at odds over the length of time it will take to introduce new arrangements once the UK leaves the bloc's Common Fisheries Policy.

He was speaking ahead of a last-ditch attempt to reach an agreement in talks with his British counterpart David Frost, despite the thorny remaining issues like fisheries.

"The unresolved issues in these few crucial hours that remain at our disposal are fundamental issues for the European Union. We are not asking more nor less than a balance between rights, obligations and reciprocity. Access to market and access to waters are the other way round. No more, no less."

Barnier said his team was striving for an agreement but "this is not an agreement that we are prepared to sign at any price."

Admitting he could not tell what may happen in the last hours of the negotiations, he called for preparations "for all eventualities".

Later on, the European Parliament adopted contingency measures to ensure basic road and air connections in case no agreement is reached on EU-UK future relations.

Britain left the EU on Jan. 31 and will leave the bloc's single market and customs union at the end of this month, as the transition period will end on Dec. 31. Negotiators from Brussels and London are working round the clock to break the impasse, but no agreement has yet been found.

Talks in Brussels are understood to be focused on how many years it will take to phase in new fisheries arrangements.

The UK will stop following the EU's trading rules in less than two weeks’ time. If there is no agreement by 1 January, the two sides will rely on World Trade Organization (WTO) rules to govern exports and imports.

TEHRAN, 19 December 2020, (TON): The spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran Saeed Khatibzadeh has unveiled plans for the opening of the second border crossing with Pakistan on December 19.

In a statement released on Friday, Khatibzadeh said “the second official border crossing between Iran and Pakistan is going to be inaugurated on Saturday, December 19, 2020.”

During a visit by Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to Pakistan last month, Tehran and Islamabad agreed to open the Rimdan-Gabd cross-border gateway, according to the spokesman.

 “The opening of the new border crossing would raise the economic and trade exchanges between Iran and Pakistan,” Khatibzadeh said.

“Creation of this border crossing between the two friendly and neighbouring states and the recent inauguration of Khaf-Herat railroad demonstrate that the Islamic Republic of Iran attaches special significance to interaction and cooperation with its neighbours and considers close cooperation with the neighbouring countries as the way for the West Asia region’s progress and excellence.” He added.

Most of the trade between Iran and Pakistan is done through the land route leading to the Mirjavah border crossing (Taftan), and in between the residents of Sistan and Baluchestan region of Iran and the province of Balochistan Pakistan.